Yours: Then, Now & Always
by snickersnix
Summary: Heather & Naya spent a year in bliss. Now that they're not together, it's all different. What happens now that it's all changed? Heya fic.
1. Prologue

**A/N: This is my first fic! Just a Heya one-shot that I felt like writing to feed off the latest episodes & rumors. Reviews are appreciated. If there's a good response, maybe this will be a prologue to something more to come. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Glee. _All rights to Ryan Murphy & Fox.**

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Dear Naya,

I don't know where to begin with this letter. Maybe I don't know where to begin because I don't want to be writing it. This is single handedly the hardest thing I'll ever have to do.

The thought of living my life without you is the scariest thing I've ever had to come to terms with. You've been such a huge part of it for the last 3 years. But I think you know as well as I do, that it's time to move on. You with the next step in your career, and me with the next step of my life.

So much has changed in three years. Can you believe that where we were when we first started this chapter of our lives? Two girls with nothing to lose, just dreams in our back pocket? I'll never forget when you showed me your dream board. I was so honored that you shared that with me, I went home and made my own. One by one, we were able to accomplish each and every one of those dreams. You inspired me to dream. You also helped me make those dreams come true.

We started as friends, you and I. I remember the first day I met you. We instantly clicked. You called it fate. I'd like to think that it was. I knew from the moment we met that I liked you. I liked you for everything you were, everything you had yet to become and everything that you stood for. You were one to tell it exactly how it was. No B.S., just facts. I loved that about you. And let's face it, you can make me laugh more than anyone on this planet. Anything that comes out of your mouth is the most hilarious thing I've ever heard. That's what it was for us: laughing, smiling, dancing, singing... we just loved to be in each other's company.

I miss those days so much. I miss even more how our relationship developed over that first year, and the love we had for one another. I'll never forget how you helped me when Taylor and I broke up. It was in November 2009. I saw it coming really. We had been so distant. I was spending the majority of my time with you. He was still in school. It just wasn't working. But he and I had been together for so long. I was still pretty upset.

You were so helpful during that time: coming over for late night cry sessions, making sure my freezer was fully stocked with ice cream, and making sure that you were always available to talk, even when you were hanging out with Mark. But our relationship started to change after that day. You were blowing off Mark more and more. And one day you asked if I'd stay late after rehearsals. We were working on the "My Life Would Suck Without You" number. You said you needed help dancing, but I knew there was more to it. The choreography was a bunch of moves we already performed. You knew everything like the back of your hand.

We were going through the dances, and you just broke down. You started crying, and you told me we needed to talk. You had asked if I wanted to come over that night. I told you to go home & take a bath, and in the meantime, I would pick up some Chinese food. You were so great with everything that had been going on in my life, I didn't even realize something was bothering you. I felt terrible.

When I got to your house, you were still in the bath, so I set up dinner for us and put on a movie. You came down refreshed. You weren't crying anymore. You just sat on the floor next to me, and laid your head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around you and told you that whatever was going on, I'd be there for you, just like you'd been there for me. You said thanks, and asked if I'd sleep over. We called it a BritBrit Santana night.

Two bottles of wine and a bunch of orange chicken later, we were snuggled up on your couch. You were laying down in front of me, and I had my arm wrapped around your stomach. We were so comfortable around each other. It was normal for us to be touching or cuddling together wherever we were. It was just what we did - you were my best friend.

You started to cry again. You started crying, and I just wrapped my arms around you tighter. The tighter I squeezed, the harder you cried. Then in between sobs, you just whispered 'I love you'. I told you I loved you too, but we always said that to each other. Then you turned to face me and you said, 'No... I _really_ love you. I love everything about you. I'm _in_ love with you, Heather.'

I was stunned. I was in love with you, too, but I had been with Taylor for so long, I never knew what to do with those feelings. And you were dating Mark, so I just pushed them aside. I looked at you... Gosh, my face probably looked horrified. I wasn't though. I was thrilled. I just didn't know what to say back. I didn't know what it would mean. You were still dating Mark.

You cried harder. You said, 'I shouldn't have said anything. Heather, I'm so sorry. It's just been eating away at me, and you've been with Taylor, and now that you're not together... I'd just never forgive myself if I went another day without you knowing my real feelings. That's why I've been blowing off Mark. That's why I wanted to stay after rehearsals today. That's why I've been crying. I know you don't feel the same, but I just...'

Everything you were saying was finally registering. Of course I felt the same. So I cut you off. I didn't say anything. I just leaned in and kissed you. It was the first time we shared a real kiss. A passionate kiss. A kiss that was more than just best friends.

I wrapped my arms around you as tight as I could. I didn't want to let you go. You hugged me back, and I whispered, 'I'm in love with you, too, Naya.' That night we made love for the first time. It was the night we professed our love for each other - emotionally and physically. I'll never forget every detail of that night. The way you smelled, the way you looked, the way you felt, the way your body fit perfectly with mine... Everything.

It was a confusing few months after that. You were still dating Mark. We obviously couldn't come out to the public. We didn't want to jeopardize anything on the show. So, we just sat on our feelings. We agreed we would just wait to see what would happen.

In July, you finally broke it off with Mark so that we could be together. It hurt you, because we both know Mark's a great guy. But I knew what this meant. It meant that we could finally be together. So the two of us planned a trip to Mexico. It was the first thing we could do as a couple. Kevin, Jenna, Telly, Hannah and Brittany came, too. We agreed that since they were our best friends, we'd let them know first. We were living in bliss. It was the most memorable trip I've ever taken. And it has everything to do with you.

We saw movies together, went out on dates, had sleepovers all the time. You even took me as your date to the Maxim party. We were always together - a dynamic duo, on and off screen. We were practically living at one another's houses. You had a bunch of your things at my place, I had stuff at yours. It was you and me..me and you..the both of us together. We did interviews together. Comic Con came and went. We even had that interview with OK! Magazine. We played it off like we were best friends. We just enjoyed each other's company. That wasn't a lie.

But apparently, people could see through our "secret". They knew that we were so much more than that.

That started to put a strain on our relationship. And that's when things started to change...

You've never been one to be scared. Again, it's one of the things I love most about you. But you were scared about this. You were scared that the more people that found out the more it would break us. It would break us up. It would break our careers. It would break you. And it would break me.

I'll have to admit, I was scared too, but my life has never really been about my career. I just want to keep doing what I love to do, but I want to make sure to have a family and a life. That's more important to me. You and I could never see eye to eye on this. I wanted to tell everyone that I was yours and you were mine. Proudly so. But you weren't ready. I didn't blame you, but the more we kept our "secret" hidden, the more tension it caused between us.

You got scared, and you said you wanted to distance our relationship in the media. In turn, you started to distance yourself. We had just finished the best year of our lives, and now you wanted to pull away. I was hurt. And it seemed like we were on a downward spiral that couldn't be stopped.

Then Taylor came back into the picture. I know I hurt you, but I was scared, too. And I was vulnerable. And as much as we loved each other... as much as I still love you.. I wanted to feel loved back. I know you don't believe me, but I never cheated, Naya. And I would never cheat on you. And I know you would never have cheated on me either. But I could feel us growing apart. I was trying to do the mature thing. So, we broke up.

The worst part about it is that we weren't fighting. We weren't even angry. And we still loved each other so much... I _still_ love you Naya. I don't think I'll ever stop. But you were so distant, and Taylor was so close.

When I got back together with Taylor, you didn't talk to me for weeks. It was the worst feeling in my life. When you finally did start talking to me again, it wasn't the same. Sure we were still friends, but there was so much tension. And our entire relationship shifted. When you started dating Matt, _everything _changed. Don't get me wrong, I like Matt and I know we all go way back. I hope we can all still be friends through all of this... but something inside you has changed. You started to shut me out. Even our onscreen chemistry was different. People started to notice.

You resent me for getting back together with him, and I don't blame you. But you knew we weren't working. I'd have given up my career for you, Naya. My biggest regret in life will always be that we didn't fight hard enough. But because we didn't fight hard enough, everything changed. I'll never regret any of the time I spent with you. Those few months that we were together will always be the happiest of my life. But being around you - like this? It's just too much to bear.

So I'm leaving. I'm moving back to Arizona. I'm going to focus on short films and dance for a while. I need to move on, and I think you do too. We both know that being here, being around each other, it's just bringing us both down. It's doing exactly what you were afraid of: breaking us. It's breaking your career. It's breaking my heart.

But you'll always be a part of me. Last year I never wanted to spend a moment without you. This year, I have to set you free.

_If you love somebody, set them free. If they come back, it's meant to be. _Maybe, one day our hearts will find each other again.

Yours: then, now and always,

Heather


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** **Thanks for the reviews, you guys! Based on some of the feedback I received, I think I'm going to try out making this a little bit of a story. I'm having trouble trying to figure out where exactly I want to go with it, so we'll see! Reviews are appreciated! **

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Naya walked into her trailer after a long day. It had been a while since she had been on set. Now that everyone had graduated, her scenes on set had been few and far between. When she did have to film, they were usually long days, because the producers wanted her to film all her scenes at once.

Since Santana and Brittany had broken up, Naya rarely saw Heather anymore. Though they had grown apart, Naya always looked forward to her scenes with Heather. In those moments, they didn't have to act. They just had to go back to a time when they were happy… together. Toward the end of Brittany and Santana's relationship, Heather and Naya were straining to get back to that happy place. Now that their characters were broken up, they didn't have a chance.

Naya plopped down on the couch and sighed. She had so much on her mind. She just wasn't as happy as she used to be. She thought back to the days when she and Heather were happy. It was just her and Heather, Heather and her… together.

Her mind started flooding with memories. The trips to Mexico, the movie dates, holidays with each other, their red carpet dates. She thought back to Halloween in 2010. That was the first time they really didn't care if people saw them together. They had already told their close friends, but they hadn't mentioned it to several others. On Halloween, they were surrounded by people they could trust. So they decided to embrace it. They didn't want to hide from them anymore. Despite the epic costume coordination she and her cast mates had been doing ever since, that Halloween was the happiest Naya had ever been.

Then she thought about the Golden Globes in early 2011. It was right before they broke up. They were starting to feel a little distant from each other. Naya started to worry everyone knew about their relationship. They decided together that they'd show up dateless to the Globes, but they'd arrive separately. When they did arrive, Naya saw Heather first. Her breath became short, and everyone around her disappeared. Naya walked up to Heather and without a second thought, Heather wrapped Naya up into her arms. They had seen each other just the day before, but for them, it had felt like a lifetime. She'd never forget that moment. She'd never forget that night.

The next weekend they all went to Vegas to celebrate Naya's 24th birthday. Heather had to finish shooting scenes for "The Sue Sylvester Shuffle", so she had to fly in later. Naya was bummed because the only person she needed there was showing up late. She, Telly, and some of the other cast mates had holed up for the day in the suite at the Bellagio playing games, trying new drinks and sharing laughs. All Naya could think about was Heather.

When Heather finally did show up, she took Naya aside. She was so sorry for missing the early day festivities. Naya knew it was out of Heather's control, but Heather was adamant about making sure she made it up to Naya, starting with her gift. She pulled out a box and handed it to Naya. When Naya opened the box, her face lit up, and her mouth dropped open. Naya pulled out a simple diamond necklace. It was just like Heather to find her something so simple and understated, but so beautiful. It was perfect.

Naya paused amidst her thoughts. She reached up and grabbed the necklace she'd worn every day since Heather gave it to her. Knowing it was there, so close to her heart, made her feel like Heather was still with her. It made her feel that even though they were distant, Heather knew Naya kept her close to her heart every minute of every day.

There was no one like Heather. The two of them just had this understanding of each other. They didn't even have to say anything to know what the other was thinking. She recalled interviews where they'd finish each other's sentences or give each other knowing looks when questions arose about Brittany and Santana's relationship.

Naya shifted her thoughts. She wondered why everything went so awry and how she had let it get that far. She sat up and put her head in her hands. She _had_ to talk to Heather. Even if it was just for a second. She had to see her, so that she could at least let her know that she missed her. She had to go find her.

When she stood up, she noticed something sitting on the table across from her couch. It looked like a note of some sort. When she looked closer, she saw that 'Naya' was written on the front of it, and it was in Heather's handwriting.

She picked it up and started reading. Immediately, tears started forming as Heather recalled details of their past. Some of the same details Naya had been recalling just a few minutes before. As Naya read more and more of the letter, tears began streaming down her face, beyond her control. A pit formed in the bottom of her stomach, as she read the last part of the letter.

Her heart was breaking with every word she read. _So I'm leaving. I'm moving back to Arizona. I'm going to focus on short films and dance for a while._ This couldn't be happening. She was dreaming. Heather would never leave her career behind. Her friends behind. Naya behind. _I need to move on, and I think you do too. We both know that being here, being around each other, it's just bringing us both down._ That's the opposite of what she wanted. She wanted to be with Heather, but Heather was with Taylor. That wasn't Naya's fault. Their break up was just as much Heather's fault as it was Naya's. _It's doing exactly what you were afraid of: breaking us. It's breaking your career. It's breaking my heart._

Naya broke out into a full-blown sob. She curled up on her couch and wrapped her arms around herself. Her eyes were closed as tight as she could close them. This was all a bad dream. How did it get this far? Heather was leaving everything behind, and for what? Just to get away from their relationship?

Naya knew that she had been distant, but she never wanted Heather to leave. She never wanted to break Heather's heart. Her heart was broken, too. The minute Naya found out Heather was talking to Taylor again, Naya's heart broke. It didn't mean she didn't still love Heather, though.

She needed to find her. Naya couldn't let Heather believe that she resented her for getting back together with Taylor. She couldn't let Heather think that Naya would have put her career before their relationship. She couldn't let Heather go thinking that they needed to move on from one another. They could fix this. Naya wanted to fix it. She wanted her best friend back.

Naya had to stop her. Matt and Taylor aside, they had to fix their relationship, starting foremost with their friendship. Whatever happened, Naya knew they would figure it out. They always had. But she wasn't going to let Heather walk out on her career. On her friends. On her life. On her.

She was not about to let the woman that changed her life the most walk out of it forever, and she'd do whatever it took.


	3. Chapter 2

**I think I'm going to alternate POV in each chapter, so we're back to Heather in this one. ****Thanks to everyone leaving feedback. **I 3 Reviews :) 

**I do not own _Glee_... though I wish I did sometimes! All rights to Fox & Ryan Murphy.**

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Heather didn't stop crying the entire way home from Paramount that day. Walking out on what had been her life for the last three years may be the hardest thing she'd ever have to do. But she knew it was right.

Legally, she was bound to contract on the Glee set. Luckily, Brittany's lines were getting smaller and smaller, and after a conversation with Ryan about how unhappy she was, he agreed to write her out of the show. They did it with Sam, surely they could do it with Brittany. Ryan had always treated Heather like a daughter. He told her he wasn't going to make her stay if she didn't want to stay, but she always had a home on set if she wanted to come back.

Heather scoffed at the notion. Two years ago, she'd agree. Paramount was her home away from home. During the summers, even though breaks were small because they were touring, they'd count the days until they could return to work. Now Heather dreaded every day. Not because she didn't want to be there, but because she was so conflicted it hurt. Thoughts of Paramount were now burdening. She couldn't stand the thought of leaving her friends, and more importantly, Naya. But the thought of seeing Naya and knowing that things would never be the same was too much to bear.

When she got home, she was greeted with open paws. Her dog, Jenny, had always been a face Heather was happy to come home to. After a brief belly rub, Heather plopped down on the couch. She and Taylor had packed up a lot of their boxes over the weekend, but she still felt like there was so much more to do before the two headed out for Arizona the next morning.

Heather ordered pizza and curled up on the couch with Zach for a little bit. She was glad that she could come home after a long day at work, and an emotionally draining one at that, and have her pets to comfort her. They were so innocent. They didn't understand what was going on, but it seemed like they always knew when Heather was sad. She was grateful for that and for them. They never betrayed her, and they never would. Pets really are part of the family.

She finally got up to start packing when Taylor walked through the door. She was happy to see him. Packing their life away just made her feel lonelier and it was nice to have a companion. The two of them ate their pizza and packed up their boxes in virtual silence. He knew Heather had been upset lately, and he wanted to be supportive of whatever she wanted to do. So when she approached him about moving back to Arizona, he happily complied. Taylor knew he didn't want to lose her again, and he'd do everything he could to make sure he didn't.

Sealing each one with tape and marking each box with the appropriate label – "Master Bedroom", "Guest Bedroom", "Office", "Kitchen", "Living Room", "Dining Room", "Basement" – Heather was flabbergasted at how much crap she's accumulated over the years. As the boxes were taped up and labeled, their apartment became emptier. She got lost in her thoughts once again, reminiscing about all of the memories she had in this apartment. Dance parties with her dancer friends, creating short films and funny webisodes with Ashley, Cinco de Mayo bar-be-ques with Naya...

...Naya. The one person she didn't want to think about right now.

Taylor shook her out of her thoughts. "Babe, what do you want to do with this box?" It was more of a rhetorical question. He slid the box over to her and let her look through it.

She started pulling out all of the Glee memorabilia that she's collected over the years. Her "I bet the duck's in the hat" shirt... The first Cheerios uniform she ever put on... Pictures of her with Britney Spears... The red latex suit she wore in the Britney episode... The cone bra she wore in the Madonna episode... More pictures of her with Julia Roberts when she unexpectedly visited the set... Her "I'm With Stoopid T-Shirt" from the Born This Way episode... More pictures of her with the cast – wrap parties, house parties, watch parties...

She started to tear up when she pulled out the picture of her and Naya cuddling on the red couch. She remembered that day like it was yesterday. Then another picture of them at their Halloween party. And then some candids that Kevin took of them on set filming Season 2. She felt like the wind got knocked out of her. She threw the pictures back in the box and stood up to get some fresh air.

"Where are you going?" Taylor asked her.

"I need air. Packing is really taking it out of me. Will you put those back in the box? We'll just store it in the basement. It's just a bunch of Glee set stuff."

"Sure. Are you sure you don't want company?" He really was trying.

"I'm sure. Thanks though. Love you, see you in a little bit," she said as she tried her best to hold back the sobs that were inevitably coming.

As soon as she walked out the door, Heather let out the breath that she didn't know she was holding. She leaned back against the door and the tears started flowing. They were definitely unwelcome, but she couldn't control them. She didn't want to cry anymore. It felt like that's all she had been doing for the past 24 hours. She sat in front of the door for what felt like hours, but was really just a few minutes, and when the tears finally dried, she decided to go out and get that air she so desperately needed.

"Thanks Simon," she told the doorman as she walked out of the door to her building. She didn't know where she was going, she just knew she needed to get out of the smothering apartment, away from anything that made her think of Naya, and away from the sadness that she felt when she thought about the fact that it was her last night in LA.

...Crap. It was her last night in LA. She should be doing something with her friends. She should be some place lost in the city. In a city filled with over 3 million people, Heather never felt more alone than she did in that moment.

She got into her car and started driving. She didn't know where she was going, but she headed toward the direction of some of her most favorite places in the city... like her favorite Mexican restaurant that she and the girls would go to for Margarita Monday. She always looked forward to Mondays, because she could forget about all of the crap and all of the drama. It was a night of no BS, just fun. She drove past the karaoke bar she and her castmates had gone to on countless occasions. Her go to karaoke song was "Under Pressure" by Queen. She smiled to herself for the first time in what felt like years. It's really the best song to dance to.

On her trip to nowhere, Heather caught a glimpse of the Hollywood Sign. Hiking to the Hollywood Sign was one of the first things she did when she moved to LA. She knew she couldn't hike it because it was getting too dark, but she started driving toward the trails anyway. There were some places she knew she could sit alone in her thoughts and enjoy the peaceful chaos of the city one last time.

When she parked at the trailhead she started walking. One of her favorite spots was a little bench that she passed when she did hike. Sometimes, when she was wanting to kill time, or needed someone to talk to, Heather would bring her friends up there to hang out. She took Taylor there when he first moved to LA. She, Brittany and Hannah used to get coffee and hang out there after Saturday morning workouts. She and Naya would go there when they wanted to spend time away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It was exactly what she needed tonight.

After a while, of thinking, reminiscing and calming her thoughts, she decided it was time to head back to her house to help Taylor finish packing. She felt a little bit better. It seemed, at least for the moment, that she was at peace leaving LA. It's only a 6 hour drive. It's not like she's never going to be back to LA. She just needed some time to heal her broken heart.

When she finally got back to the apartment, Taylor was waiting for her. He was able to get everything packed and labeled in the hour that she was gone. Heather was so grateful. It took some pressure off her. All they had left to do was clean after the movers took everything out in the morning.

Heather suggested they go out with some friends for a last minute round of drinks. It was only 9pm, and it was their last night. So, Taylor called up a couple of his friends from work, but since he was fairly new to the city, most of his friends were really Heather's friends. Heather called up Hannah and Brittany, Jeremy and Mark, and obviously Ashley. Then she called Chord, Mark, Jenna and Vanessa and told them to come up. She didn't want to invite everyone from Glee, because not everyone was up to date on the reasons they were leaving, and the drama that came with it all. Plus, Heather was already so drained she didn't want to have to deal with it.

They all met up at a local dive bar near the apartment. She just wanted to go out with her friends tonight. She loved the doors that Glee had opened for her, but she didn't want to have to fend off fans asking questions about Brittany and Santana or questioning Taylor about things that he had no control of. This bar was a hole-in-the-wall. It was the perfect little safe haven for their group of friends.

After a couple of rounds and a few shots, Taylor stood up to give a speech.

_I'm so happy that you all could join us tonight on our last night in LA. I'm so glad Heather has had such a strong support system to help her follow and accomplish her dreams for the last three years. I'm even happier to have..._

Heather got lost in her thoughts for the millionth time tonight, as she watched her boyfriend thank all of their friends for coming out and celebrating their last night in town. She was excited that Taylor was starting this new chapter with her. She loved him, she really did. He was her best friend and he really cared about her. But there was just always something missing... He wasn't Naya.

Heather was once again shaken out of her thoughts...

_There's no one I'd rather spend my life with, and I am so happy that to be sharing this moment with everyone we love. Heather Elizabeth Morris, will you marry me?_


	4. Chapter 3

**Thanks for waiting! And thanks for the feedback. I had a little bit of trouble trying to set this one up for the next chapter, but hopefully you'll like it! Reviews and feedback muchos appreciated! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee. All rights to Ryan Murphy & Fox!**

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Naya wasn't about to let Heather go that easily. Lucky for her, she knew exactly where to find her. She went straight over to Stage 16 on the Paramount lot. She knew that's where Heather would be. According to the schedule, the "new" New Directions had their last group number before the winter hiatus. She didn't have a plan but she had tons of thoughts.

She stormed through the doors at Stage 16, and went straight to the auditorium set. "Ryan!" she screamed. "RYAN!"

"CUT! Dammit Naya, what are you doing? You can't just storm in here screaming like that. What do you want, we're in the middle of shooting!"

Naya looked all around, and couldn't find Heather. "I'm looking for Heather, where is she?"

Ryan turned around to look at the group of actors on the stage. "She's obviously not here, Naya, now would you please? It's already 11, and we've got to get through here."

"Ryan! Where is she? Why isn't she filming? This is the group number. Brittany is part of the New Directions."

"Not anymore, Naya. Look, I don't have time for this. You're done for the day. Go home!"

"Where IS she?!" Naya retorted, a bit louder and more sternly. Ryan just stood there silent for a minute. "Please… just tell me."

Ryan looked at her apologetically, and finally let out a long sigh. "She's gone, Naya. She wrapped earlier. She's on an indefinite hiatus."

"What?! How could you ju-"

"Naya, she wanted it. It wasn't my call. I'm not going to make someone stay when they want off the show. If she leaves on a good note, she might come back. I just gave her the space she was asking for. Maybe you should do the same…"

Naya's eyes started to fill with tears. "What time did she wrap?"

"5:00. While you were in the middle of your scene," Ryan offered. "Just go home, Naya. It's getting late."

Naya slowly turned and started back toward her trailer. What does he mean he gave her space? Did he write her off the show? There's no way. This can be real. She was just filming with Heather...

...Actually, it had been two months. Now that Santana and Brittany didn't have many scenes together as a couple, they always had different call times. And when they did have scenes together, they usually shot them all at once. The last time they had a scene together was early October. It was already early December. And they were getting ready to wrap for winter hiatus. How did she not know where Brittany's storyline was going? Had she really been so wrapped up she didn't notice?

Of course today was her last day. Naya thought to herself. How could she have been so blind? The girls had barely talked for two months. It was easy for Heather to keep it all under wraps.

Fuck.

She started running, not even realizing where she was going. She opened her trailer door, grabbed her keys and that letter that she hated reading just a few short minutes ago, and sprinted to her car. She had to get to Heather's house. She didn't care that it was late. This could be her last chance to get Heather back.

She had a 30 minute drive to Heather's. She knew that if she sped a little, she could make it in less. All she wanted to do is get to Heather's house.

It seemed Naya had been getting lost in her thoughts since she wrapped for the night. She usually had a wind-down process but in light of recent events, she didn't have anything else on her mind. She started thinking about what she was going to do once she got to Heather's house.

She thought of the possible scenarios. Should she profess her love for the blonde that she's never gone a day without thinking about? Was she going to tell her that she messed up, that she doesn't want her to go to Arizona, and that she wanted to be with her? That she'd spend every day for the rest of her life making her realize that she's never wanted anything or anyone more than she wants Heather – not her career, not her friends on set, not Matt…

Matt… _Fuck_.

She was supposed to go to his house when she wrapped for the day. For a brief second, she thought about calling him to let him know she wasn't going to make it, but she pushed those thoughts away when she realized she only had 20 minutes more to figure out what the hell she was going to do when she got to Heather's.

Naya imagined herself dropping down on one knee as soon as Heather opened the door. _Get a hold of yourself, Rivera. You're not proposing. _She laughed at the thought. Heather wouldn't marry her anyway – she always said when they were dating, "I just want to enjoy life being me for a little bit. No engagements until at least 30!"

Maybe she just wouldn't say anything. Maybe she'd just grab Heather by the nape of her neck, pull her close, and kiss her as soon as she opened the door. _Come on. How cliché could you be, Naya. You need to do better than that!_

Naya's sub-conscious was becoming her worst enemy… Well, that and the clock. 10 minutes. _Fuck! What am I going to do?_

Still playing the possible scenarios in her head, Naya didn't even realize that the stop light in front of her changed to red. She blew right through the light. She wouldn't have noticed if she didn't look to her right and see a pair of headlights coming her way. Her mind went blank. It felt like she came out of her body, just to watch her get hit by the car coming at her. She was frozen. Even the honking horn coming her way wasn't enough to bring her back down to earth.

Apparently, her instincts took over. She pushed the pedal all the way to the floor and got through that light as fast as she could. She swerved to the left trying to buy her some time. She over corrected and swerved to the right finding herself in the grass next to the shoulder.

Shit.

She had no idea what happened. Did she get hit? She turned around to see that there were no cars in the intersection behind her. There was no one next to her on the shoulder. She must have just gotten through. What the hell?

She rested her forehead on the steering wheel and she let herself cry. It was more than a cry. It was a sob. _What am I doing? I'm acting crazy. She wants to get away from me badly enough to run away, I need to let her go…_

Maybe that's what she should be going to Heather's to do. She's just going to say goodbye.

She pulls off of the shoulder, heads back towards Heather's house. It's near midnight now. _She's probably sleeping, Naya. You're going to knock on her door and just say goodbye? You're an idiot._

As she approaches Heather's door, she hears the blonde giggle. Naya smiles softly. There's nothing she loves more than hearing Heather laugh. But there's nothing she hates more than knowing she's not the one to make her ex-girlfriend laugh anymore. That was someone else doing it. And she knew exactly who that someone else was.

Gosh she hated him. She didn't want to hate him. He was actually really good to Heather, but he _had_ Heather. And Naya didn't have her anymore. She would have killed to switch places with the guy on the other side of the door.

She finally got the courage to knock. Softly at first. She didn't hear anything except continued laughing.

She knocked again, a little harder this time. She heard some whispers on the other side of the door, so she knew that they had heard her. She tensed. What was she going to say?

Heather opened the door and froze, grabbing the door for stability. Naya noticed something sparkle into her eye. She dropped her eyes to Heather's left hand, holding her up. Immediately she looked behind the blonde to see Taylor standing in the background with two glasses of champagne.

Her heart sank and her mouth dropped to the floor.

Heather was the first to break the silence.

"…Naya? What are you doing here?"


	5. Chapter 4

For a minute, Heather wasn't sure what was happening. Taylor just uttered four words she didn't want to hear come out of his mouth... Not any time soon anyway. And in front of all of their friends? What the hell was going on?

Sure, she loved Taylor. Sure, if she'd ever get over this heartache... or heart break... or whatever it was that she felt every day in her stomach for the last year or so... then maybe she'd consider marrying Taylor. If she couldn't be with Naya, he was the next best thing. He was great to her. He made sure she was taken care of. Her family loved him. But by saying yes, she knew she would be closing the door forever on the one thing that made her happy. And Heather just didn't know if she was ready for that.

_You're running away to Arizona. What do you mean you're not ready for that? You've already slammed that door shut._

Heather's thoughts had really been getting the best of her lately, and the more she thought, the more she questioned what the hell she was doing with her life. One day she was ready to move on, and her thoughts would talk her out of it. The next day she wanted to try and salvage anything she could have with Naya, and her thoughts would talk her out of that, too. Her sub-conscious was becoming her worst enemy...

"Uh... Heather?" Taylor shifted uncomfortably on his knee. He had been kneeling for well over two full minutes while everyone just stared at Heather waiting for her to say something.

"Heather, say something? Please?" Taylor's voice cracked. He was noticibly uncomfortable and audibly worried.

Heather said the first thing she could to make this situation less awkward, "Of course! Of course I'll marry you Tay!"

Everyone cheered, and Taylor's sighed with relief as his face fell into a bright smile. "You scared me there, for a minute..."

"I was just picturing the future! I got lost in my thoughts. I'm back now," Heather told him. As best as she tried, she couldn't hide the slight disappointment in her voice as he slid the ring on her left hand.

After another hour of mingling, Heather and Taylor decided they'd leave the gang, and head back to their house. With some tears, and some empty promises, the duo said their goodbyes to their friends.

Brittany and Hannah were worried that by moving away, her dance moves would get rusty. Heather retorted with a snort and told them that even Beyonce could learn a thing or two from her, even from Arizona. The three laughed and hugged. Then the two dancers left the blonde to say goodbye to the others.

Jeremy and Mark came up behind them wishing them the best of luck in their new venture. Heather made her other two dancer besties promise to come visit so that she could prove to Hannah and Brittany that her moves, in fact, wouldn't get rusty.

Mark and Jenna were next in line to say bye to the newly engaged couple. Mark wrapped Heather up in a strong hug stating, "I know we haven't been able to see each other as much this year, Hemo, but I'm really going to miss you."

Jenna was crying. She couldn't much, but she hugged the blonde tightly and told her that she loved her.

Chord was pretty choked up when he reached Heather. The two had been through a lot together. There were even rumors about their characters getting together before Heather decided to call it quits. "You know you're always part of our family. Come visit us soon and often. It just won't be the same without you."

Heather hugged him breathing a soft "thank you" before releasing her embrace.

As much as Jenna was crying, Vanessa was crying twice as hard. She literally couldn't say anything. She just walked up to Heather and wrapped her into the tightest hug she's ever given the blonde. Heather laughed for a minute, and then her face fell. Since she and Naya broke up, Vanessa had been her best girlfriend on set. The one person that was able to pull her out of her funk and into a smile on set. She was able to talk to her about things that the others wouldn't understand. Next to Ashley, who was basically her sister, and Naya who was at one time her girlfriend, Vanessa was the best friend Heather had ever had.

She felt tears start pouring down her face as she squeezed the shorter girl just a little tighter. "I'm really gonna miss you 'ness." Vanessa didn't say anything, she just responded with another heavy sob. Finally letting go of Heather, she waved goodbye and ran to catch up with Chord.

All that was left was Ashley. Saying goodbye to Ashley was going to be impossible. So she wasn't about to try. Not here. Ashley just wrapped an arm around Heather's shoulders and whispered "It will be okay. It's all going to work out."

Heather cried harder. She didn't know if she was crying because she was saying goodbye to her friends... to her life. Or if she was crying because she just agreed to marry someone that she didn't want to spend the rest of her life with. In either case, Ashley seemed to understand.

Rubbing her back, Ashley whispered, "Have you talked to her?"

Heather instantly knew that her best friend meant Naya.

"No," was all she managed to say through her sobs. Ashley hugged Heather tightly soothingly shushing her, trying her best to help take away some of the pain her friend was going through.

Heather didn't know how to respond... to any of it. To Ashley, to the night, to Taylor, to their move to Arizona... she just felt frozen.

"You know I'm not going to say goodbye to you," Heather finally managed to squeak out.

"Girl, are you crazy? I'll be down in Scottsdale next weekend. And you'll be up here the weekend after. It's going to be like you never moved away. I promise. And I'll be sure to call you every day, check the progress of your life... oh and I'll keep you in the loop on my maid-of-honor speech as I'm writing it."

Heather laughed a little. "Yeah, tell that to April and Cryss. Although, with your luck, they'll kill each other fighting for the spot and you'll land it anyway."

Ashley smiled apologetically. "You gonna be okay?" Heather nodded and hugged her friend again.

"I love you, Ash."

"Love you too, Hemo."

* * *

On the way home, she and Taylor didn't talk much. She knew the ride was going to be somber. She just said goodbye to her closest friends. But it felt a little awkward and uncomfortable. They had just gotten engaged. Shouldn't they be calling their families and stuff?

Heather shook the idea from her head. The only person she wanted to call was the one person she never wanted to tell the news to.

_What have I gotten myself into?_

Taylor squeezed her hand and interlaced their fingers. "How about some champagne, babe? I know tonight's been emotional, but we have some celebrating to do. Plus, it might just take the edge off, help us get some rest before tomorrows big day. So how bout we stop and grab a bottle?"

Heather didn't feel like drinking, because she knew once she'd start, she wouldn't be able to stop. But she nodded anyway. She didn't want Taylor to think she wasn't happy about their engagement.

... Even if she wasn't.

* * *

When they got home, Taylor popped the bottle open and poured two newly-bought plastic cups from the liquor store they stopped at. Heather had just sat down and was waiting anxiously for Taylor to bring her her champange so she could choke it down and maybe get some sleep.

Before Taylor had even finished pouring she heard a small noise come from the door.

"Did you hear that?" Naya asked Taylor. "What?" He responded. "That noise? It sounded like a knock." "It was probably just Jenni. You know how rambunctious she gets."

Heather laughed. Probably a litle harder than she needed to. But Jenny was one of the few things that made Heather smile. Plus, she wanted Taylor to see that she was in a better mood. So even if she had to force a laugh a little bit, she had to at least pretend she was happy.

Then she heard a knock again, this time a little louder. Taylor had started toward the couch when he turned. He had definitely heard it, too.

"I'll grab it," Heather said as she nodded toward the couch, signaling for Taylor to sit and wait for her to come back.

When she opened the door, she froze. Her mouth gaped open and she couldn't talk. Her eyes were fixed on big brown ones. Unfortunately those big brown eyes were darting back and forth between Heather's hand on the door and Taylor behind her.

_Shit._

"...Naya? What are you doing here?"

* * *

Naya stood there in silence for a minute. Her eyes darting back and forth between Heather's hand and Taylor.

"Oh, um... well, I heard you were leaving tomorrow. So I wanted to swing by and say goodbye," Naya responded... Almost too nonchalantly.

"Oh," Heather signed. She seemed disappointed.

"Yeah, but it looks like I came at a bad time. Celebrating, I take it?" Naya said stiffly.

Heather didn't know how to respond. So she just held up her left hand for Naya to see. Naya's eyes started filling with tears as she said "I'm so happy for you Heather. It looks like your life is turning out the way you had always hoped. There's no one who deserves it more."

Heather's heart broke. Why was Naya saying all of these things? And moreso, why was she so disappointed in such nice sentiments from her ex-girlfriend?

Just then Naya caught Heather's eyes. For a second, Heather thought she saw a glimpse of sadness. As if everything Naya had been saying was a complete lie. As if Naya had really come there to tell her that she loved her, and that she wanted her back. But after a brief second, Heather was shaken out of her fantasy.

"Anyways, I'll let you get back to it. I just... I... I'm really happy for you Hemo, and I'm _really_ gonna miss you."

Heather felt herself well up again. Naya reached in for a hug. Heather awkwardly leaned in to reciprocate. But when their bodies touched it was like an electric shock. It was the first time in months that they had touched and it felt just as good as when their skin touched for the very first time 3 years before.

Heather quickly pulled back with her head down, responding with a soft, "Me too."

And without another word, Naya turned and walked away.

Heather closed the door behind her and sighed.

"Taylor, I'm pretty tired. I think I might just go to bed. Don't stay up too late, we have a long drive tomorrow."

Heather walked over, kissed him on the cheek and went to the bedroom that she shared with her now fiance.

* * *

She knew she didn't have much time when she got into the bedroom. She knew Taylor would follow her in the bedroom within minutes. So she let the tears flow for a quick second, grabbed her iPhone, and then sent a quick text to her friends that were at dinner that night.

_**Which one of you guys told Naya? Seriously?**_

One by one, her friends responded.

_**Not me.**__ - Mark_

_**I swear I didn't say anything.**__ - Chord_

_**I don't know if I even have her number anymore.**__ - Hannah_

_**I haven't talked to Naya in days... I'm sorry, boo.**__ - Brittany_

_**OMG are you okay? I didn't say anything I swear!**__ - Jenna_

_**You know I would never do that to you. Are you okay? What'd she say? Need me to come over?**__ - Ashley_

As Heather read their responses, she didn't understand. Deep inside she hoped they were telling the truth. She wanted Naya to had come for any other reason but to say goodbye. She wanted Naya to feel emsomething/em. Anger for Heather's move... Sad from her letter... Anxious to get her back.

_Of course you're disappointed. What were you expecting? Her to get your letter and come after you? Stop it. YOU'RE running away._

Heather couldn't take it anymore. She had to find out. So she pulled out her phone. Even though she took Naya's number out of her phone months ago, she remembered her number. That's something she'd never forget.

_**Naya, how did you find out?**_ _- Heather_

She anxiously awaited her response. She knew she was running out of time. Taylor was getting ready for bed, and she knew he'd be in any second.

_**I didn't until I got there.**__ - Naya_

Heather's heart sank. If she didn't know, why did she come over?

_**Then why were you really here? You owe me the truth.**_ _- Heather_

Naya quickly responded.

_**I don't owe you anything Heather. YOU'RE the one moving away to get away from ME. I just wanted to make sure to tell you goodbye.**__ - Naya_

Heather felt a tear drop down her cheek from the angsty response.

_**Right... Well... thanks for saying goodbye. **__- Heather_

Heather heard Taylor coming out of the bathroom. She quickly flipped off the only light they had left in their room, and climbed into bed. She pretended to be asleep, because she didn't feel like talking to Taylor.

After what felt like hours, and it probably was - Heather hadn't checked the time because she didn't want to wake Taylor - she finally started to doze. She was moving to Arizona tomorrow, and that was that.

...Until she heard her phone buzz again to shake her out of her almost-slumber.

* * *

**A/N: What'd you think?! Thanks for all the follows and feedback everyone! :) **

**This one is from Heather's POV - we'll get to how Naya's feeling about everything next chapter! PLEASE let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee - All rights to Ryan Murphy & Fox.**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks for all of your feedback! This chapter is from Naya's POV. Reviews MUCH appreciated! Enjoy :)**

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own Glee. All rights to Ryan Murphy and Fox.**

* * *

Naya _ran_ from Heather's apartment. Her head was buzzing. She couldn't think clearly. Heather was _engaged_. Since _when?! _She was moving to Arizona with her _new fiance?!_

The Latina jumped into her car and just started driving. She didn't know where she was going. She did her best thinking in her car. It was the only place she could be completely alone with her thoughts. And she needed to be alone, clearing her head of Heather. Clearing her head of Taylor. Clearing her head of Matt. Clearing her head of everything that'd happened over the last 3 years.

Maybe Heather was right, moving away. Maybe that's what Naya needed too. _Don't be silly, you can't move. This is your life - you just have to move on._

The question for Naya was _how?_

It wasn't but fifteen minutes after she left Heather's apartment that she received a text from her ex.

_**Naya, how did you find out?**__ - Heather_

Naya considered lying... telling her one of their friends told her. Telling her she had heard on set. Telling her anything to cover up the truth as to why she had _actually_ been there. But she knew she couldn't be convincing enough to say anything but the truth.

**_I didn't until I got_**** there.** - _Naya_

It wasn't but thirty seconds later that Naya received another text.

_**Then why were you really here? You owe me the truth.**_ _- Heather_

_What was that tone? She's the one that's leaving. Why is she blaming this on me? _

Naya was starting to go from sad to angry. She wanted to tell Heather the truth, but now that she was demanding it, she didn't want to give her the satisfaction.

_**I don't owe you anything Heather. YOU'RE the one moving away to get away from ME. I just wanted to make sure to tell you goodbye.**__ - Naya_

Naya felt tears start flowing from her eyes. She pulled over on the side of the road. She thought about going back to Heather's, telling her the truth. But it was clear to Naya that Heather had moved on. It was clear to Naya that her ex-girlfriend didn't want the same things that she wanted. She sat for a minute when she heard her phone buzz again.

_**Right... Well... thanks for saying goodbye. **__- Heather_

Naya didn't respond. She didn't want Heather to see through her. So she got back on the road, and she drove. She listened to music. She thought about Heather. She thought about Matt. She thought about what her life could have been. She thought about what her life was now... Then she thought about nothing. She just left the sunroof open, music up, and let her mind drift into nothing.

It was 3 AM before she ever got home. She was completely exhausted - mentally and physically. She just wanted to go to bed and not wake up until tomorrow afternoon. Then she wanted to sleep some more.

When she finally got into bed, as drained as she was, she found herself not able to sleep. She found herself wondering what if she had told Heather the truth. She started scolding herself for _not_ telling Heather the truth.

She knew it wouldn't change anything, but she thought she'd send it anyway. One last text. She didn't expect Heather to say anything in return. She didn't expect that Heather wouldn't move to Arizona. She didn't expect that it would change anything. But at least this way, she would be honest with Heather. She'd be honest with herself. And maybe, if she was lucky, she'd be able to get some sleep. _Here goes nothing..._

_**Heather, I didn't come to your house to tell you goodbye. I came to your house because I wanted to keep you from moving. But when I got to your house, and I saw that you were engaged, I couldn't bring myself to tell you. I didn't want to tell you, because I don't want to be responsible for your unhappiness anymore. Truth is, as much as I don't want you to move, and I don't want you to marry Taylor, I'm glad you're happy. I'm glad that you're doing what makes you happy, and I'm not going to stop you. I love you Heather. I always have. I always will. Please drive safe tomorrow, and don't be a stranger. I know things are weird between us, but I don't want you to move away and never hear from you again. As much as it hurts, I understand why you're doing this, and I don't blame you for it at all. **__- Naya_

_Alright Naya. That's enough, now. _

And with that message, she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Naya was disappointed the next morning to find out that Heather had not responded. It was noon. Surely Heather was well on her way to Arizona by now. She had lost her, and she had lost her for good.

What she did have, though, were texts and messages from Matt. _Shit. Matt._

She remembered how she completely bailed on him the night before, without as much as a text-message explanation. She felt like a complete ass. She had been thinking a lot lately, and she knew where her heart belonged. She knew she wasn't going to be with Heather, but she knew she couldn't continue this charade with her current boyfriend. She had to talk to him.

Matt knew about her past with Heather. What he didn't know, though, was how in love with the blonde his girlfriend still was. Naya felt like she couldn't lose anymore than she already had, so she decided to be honest with Matt. With a quick text message exchange, they decided to meet for lunch.

_I think I'm going to be sick._

* * *

Naya quickly showered, changed, and went on her way to meet her boyfriend for their lunch date.

When she saw him, her heart sank. She knew what was about to happen, and he had no idea.

"Hey!" He was so excited to see her. "I missed you last night, what happened?"

"Sorry," Naya said without exchanging any eye contact. "I got tied up at work, and just went to bed. I was pretty exhausted."

_Enough lying, Rivera. Get your head on straight. What'd you come here to do? _

They sat down at the table. Both were quiet. She didn't know how to tell him what she really felt.

"So, how wa-"

"Matt, we have to talk," Naya interrupted him before he could finish his thought. "I didn't just get caught up at work last night."

"What? Then why'd you bail?"

"Heather left."

"Yeah? I thought you knew about that."

"Wait, what?" Naya was shocked that Matt knew she was leaving and didn't so much as think to tell Naya.

"I thought you knew..." Matt cautiously repeated.

"Matt, how did _you_ know that she was leaving?"

"Naya, I'm part of the writing staff, you don't think this is something we've been trying to account for?"

"And you didn't think to discuss it with me?"

"You know the rules. If you want to be with me, I can't disclose what goes on in the writer's room. We can't let you know what's going on until you get the script. I just assumed she had told you."

"I don't..." Naya spat back. Matt was confused.

"You don't what? I'm sorry Naya, I really thought she had told you."

"I don't want to be with you." Matt flinched. Naya immediately felt awful the way she had just blurted that out. That was not the way this conversation was supposed to go.

"What are you talking about? I really thought you knew, Naya. I'm sorry. You're going to let a little miscommunication ruin our entire relationship?"

Naya's face fell. This was so much bigger than the "miscommunication". It was about what she really wanted. It was about Naya being honest with herself and everyone around her. That was the whole reason Heather left, wasn't it?

"No, Matt. Sorry, that came out much harsher than I had intended it to..."

"This is about her, isn't it?" Matt replied with a sharp tone.

"Let me explain... First of all, I only found out Heather was leaving yesterday. So, forgive me if I am a little upset that it feels like everyone else around me knew about this, but me. Second of all... Everyone else knew about this but me. I feel like I've been trying so hard to hide how I feel about her, about our relationship, about who I am, that I've completely fallen blind to everything going on around me... our relationship included. Matt, I forgot to send a simple text last night to let you know I couldn't come over. And the whole reason I couldn't come over was because I was going to Heather's to stop her from leaving. Then I found out she was engaged and I ju-"

"Wait, Heather's engaged? Since when?"

"Wow, I'm shocked you didn't know that, too..." Naya spat. She was clearly letting her emotions get the best of her. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean that."

Matt sighed. He looked as if he was a cross between hurt and disgusted. "Naya, I don't think I like where this conversation is going."

"Just let me finish, okay? I found out she was engaged, so I told her goodbye and I left. When I finally got home last night, I sent her a long spiel about how I still loved her, even if it didn't change anything, and how I really just wanted her to know the truth. When I woke up this morning and didn't see any messages from her, and only saw the messages from you, it dawned on me that I was being honest with everyone but you. Which is why I'm trying to be right now."

"You're not being honest with anyone. Don't you see she doesn't love you the way I do? She left. You told her how you felt. Nothing in return... Yet, the guy you stood up last night sent you 5 voicemails and 8 texts before you ever said anything to me... yet here we are. You're breaking up with me for her?"

"Matt, I'm not breaking up with you for her. I realize she left. She's not coming back. She's moving to Arizona to marry Taylor. But I'd never forgive myself if I stayed in this relationship with you, just because she left. I can't give you what you want from me. I can't give that to anyone right now. It's not fair to you, it's not fair to me, and it's not fair to anyone we might be with in the future. I just need to be on my own for a little while."

Matt had heard enough. He stood up and threw a $20 on the table to cover the drinks that they had ordered. They hadn't even had a chance to place their lunch order yet.

"Please don't go like this, I'm so sor-"

"Don't. Naya, I'm not mad at you. You're doing what you think is right. But I am mad. I feel like I've been played a fool, and I don't need to hear anymore. You have my heart and apparently I never got yours. So as long as we're clear, I'll just see you at work in January."

He left without another word.

* * *

When Naya got back to her house, she felt a little relieved, and a lot sad. Sad because she felt bad for how things went down with Matt. Sad because Heather was gone. Sad because she was alone, and for the first time in a long time she knew _exactly_ what she wanted but didn't know how to get it.

She found herself emotionally exhausted. She said she wanted to sleep and sleep some more, so that's exactly what she was going to do. Maybe a little shut eye would do her some good.

With a sigh, filled with relief, tiredness, and uncertainty for what's next, Naya let her head rest. She closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

After no more than five complete minutes of light sleep, she was jolted awake with a loud pounding at her door.


	7. Chapter 6

When Heather heard her phone buzz, she immediately flipped over to look at her phone. She held her breath as she read the message from Naya.

_**Heather, I didn't come to your house to tell you goodbye. I came to your house because I wanted to keep you from moving. But when I got to your house, and I saw that you were engaged, I couldn't bring myself to tell you. I didn't want to tell you, because I don't want to be responsible for your unhappiness anymore. Truth is, as much as I don't want you to move, and I don't want you to marry Taylor, I'm glad you're happy. I'm glad that you're doing what makes you happy, and I'm not going to stop you. I love you Heather. I always have. I always will. Please drive safe tomorrow, and don't be a stranger. I know things are weird between us, but I don't want you to move away and never hear from you again. As much as it hurts, I understand why you're doing this, and I don't blame you for it at all. **__- Naya_

She typed messages over and over for the next hour. But she never sent a single one. Everything that she needed to say, she couldn't. Everything she wanted to say came out wrong. Everything she didn't want to say ended up working its way into every message she typed out.

_Ugh, Heather, she's probably not even awake. Just go to sleep. You're going to Arizona tomorrow._

Obeying her sub-conscious, Heather tried her best for the next few hours to get as much sleep as she could manage. After tossing and turning, and what felt like fifteen minutes of sleep, Heather heard the 6 am alarm sound.

* * *

Heather quickly showered and got things ready for the movers. Like clockwork, they were there at 6:30 on the nose. Taylor was in the shower, so Heather instructed the movers what needed to be taken with them. The rest of it they'd try to cram into Taylor's truck. Heather's car would be towed with the movers.

By 8:30 the movers had everything loaded. It helped that Heather and Taylor had all of their stuff packed in boxes. By 10 they were finished cleaning the place. So, with one last look, she and Taylor handed the keys over to their complex, bid Simon farewell, and headed out on the road.

Luckily for Heather, she kept her mind pretty busy all morning, so she didn't really have time to think about Naya or the text that Naya sent her last night. But once they got into Taylor's truck, it was the only thing she could think about. _Why did you send that Naya? Why last night? You've had a year to tell me how you really felt. _

Like most of her questions that came from within her mind, those questions remained unanswered. She wanted to know, but she didn't know what it would mean if she did.

* * *

They'd barely been on the road two hours before the couple decided to stop and grab a bite to eat. Heather had been virtually silent the entire two hours that they had been on the road. Taylor took note and decided he was going to try to cheer her up with a little wedding planning.

"So where were you thinking for the wedding?"

Heather grimaced at the thought. Little did he know that was the last thing Heather wanted to talk about.

"I don't know yet, Taylor. We just got engaged yesterday," Heather bit in response.

"Okay. How about your bridal party? Surely you've been thinking about that? Who's going to be your made of honor? April or Cryss?"

Heather was getting annoyed. "I don't know Taylor. I have to talk to them about it."

Taylor could sense Heather's annoyance and started to get defensive.

"You've been acting weird since we got home last night. If you didn't want to say yes, why did you?"

Heather was caught off guard. "Who says I didn't want to say yes?"

"Look, I'm sorry, I just wanted to talk. You haven't said but five words since we got into the car." Taylor said feeling a little guilty.

"It's true..." Heather blurted out.

"What's true?"

"I don't want to marry you..." Heather's tone changed from rash to cautious in 2 seconds. She knew where this conversation was going. She didn't know if she was ready. She didn't know if Taylor could handle it.

"What? I don't understand."

"It's just, everything happened so fast. We were getting ready to move. I was overwhelmed with goodbyes. You surprised me in front of everyone. I couldn't say no... I just..."

"Heather, you don't know what you're saying right now."

"I do, Taylor. We're moving. I'm not sure I'm ready for marriage yet."

"Then when? We already live together. You're moving to Arizona for me. It's the logical next step."

"I'm not moving to Arizona for you."

"Heather, then why?"

"Taylor, I don't want to have this conversation right now."

"Oh my God... It's... It's because of her isn't it?"

Taylor knew Heather and Naya were close. He wasn't really sure how close, though. It wasn't that Heather lied about it, but Taylor preferred not knowing. He chalked it up to nothing more than "a phase" in her life. She didn't explain to him that she was in love with Naya. She felt it wouldn't do either of them any good. _I guess when you have to keep things from your fiance, it might be a red flag, eh, Morris?_

"Taylor, there's more to it than that."

"No.. she came over last night, and THAT'S why you got weird. It's all making so much sense now."

"No Taylor, it's not like that. There's more to it."

"Oh really? Well then enlighten me. I'm not stupid Heather."

"Taylor, let's talk about this later."

"NO! You just told me you didn't want to marry me. Let's get it all on the table now before I take you away from your _precious_ Naya," Taylor spit. For the first time in their relationship, Heather was scared. A little scared of Taylor. A lot scared of what this conversation meant. And scared that she could have walked out on the greatest thing that had ever happened to her, and she didn't know if there was any turning back.

"Taylor, I'm sorry... I love you, I really do. But, no... I'm not ready to get married. And no I'm not moving to Arizona for you. I'm moving to Arizona to start fresh... WITH you. But... if we're being honest. Yeah, there is more to it. I love you, but I also love Naya. She wasn't just a phase, Taylor. I was _in_ love with her. So yeah, part of it had to do with moving on with my life, so that I _can_ take that next step in our relationship."

"So why'd she come over last night?"

Heather didn't know whether to tell him the truth or to lie. If she told him the truth, this would probably be the end of their relationship. If she lied, she'd be starting off their move on a foundation of lies.

"...To say goodbye..."

"That's it?"

"...Sort of..."

"Heather, enough of the games. What'd she come over for?"

"She came over to tell me that she didn't want me to move. But she al-"

"Well this is just too much for me to deal with right now. I can't. I've got to get out of here."

And with that, Taylor stood up, walked out of the restaurant and to the car. Heather sat there stunned for a minute. He didn't let her explain that Naya had also told her that she wanted her to be happy and she understood why she was leaving. _But is Taylor the one that's going to make you happy? If you're going to start listening to Naya now, do you really think Arizona is the way to go?_

No.

Heather answered her own question. She didn't want to move to Arizona. She just didn't feel like she had another option. Now that Naya told her how she really felt, maybe it wasn't too late. Maybe they still had a chance. Maybe Heather didn't have to move to Arizona on a quest to find happiness that she knew wouldn't be there anyway.

She looked out the window... Taylor's truck was gone. Taylor's truck, carrying the remnants of their life together had vanished from the parking lot. She looked flabbergasted. _I can't believe he just left me here._

Heather was only two hours from home. Her _real_ home. If Taylor was gone, maybe she'd go too. Maybe she'd go back home and try to work things out with Naya. She wasn't sure of anything right now. The blonde had no house, no apartment, no ride, no belongings... just her phone, her purse, and a big hole in her heart.

She called for the check, paid the bill Taylor had stuck her with and asked the waitress if she knew the best way to get back to LA.

A nice elder couple overheard. She and Taylor were just outside of Coachella. The couple informed her that Indio was a short ten minute drive, and they had a Greyhound location. They even offered to drive her there themselves.

Ten minutes and $31 later, Heather was one bus ride away from home.

* * *

She booked herself on the 1:15 bus, which would get her to LA around 4:00. She'd go straight to Naya's. She didn't know what she'd say, she didn't know what she'd do. But she knew that's where she was going.

While she was waiting, she received a text from Taylor. He had come back to the restaurant but she had already gone. Heather realized the moment she booked her trip home that her heart was never with Taylor. She told him that she wasn't going to move to Arizona. He told her that he was. And that was that. He continued the trip by himself, and she'd make arrangements to have her car towed back to LA and have her boxes moved sent back. She was literally going back to LA with nothing.

* * *

When she got home to LA, she immediately got off of the bus and into a cab. She told him where to go, and within ten minutes, she was standing outside Naya's door. Her heart was pounding. She was sweating. Heather literally had no idea what she was going to say.

With her adrenaline pumping through her veins, she pounded on the door in front of her. Blood boiling, nerves sending shivers up and down her entire body... She pounded again. _Open the door Naya. Come on, open the door._

A minute later, Heather heard the sound of the door unlocking. As soon as it opened she saw Naya's face. She looked exhausted. Her face was a little swollen from what looked like a lot of crying. The shorter girl's mouth gaped wide open, and before she even had a chance to say anything, Heather barged in, grabbed Naya on either side of her face, and pulled the girl's lips toward hers. It wasn't harsh and it wasn't rushed, but it was needy and desperate.

Naya was taken aback, but within a few seconds, Heather felt Naya kissing her back - just as needy and just as desperate. Once she felt Naya's lips dancing with hers, tears started falling from Heather's eyes. She broke the kiss, pressed her forehead against Naya's and just cried. Naya wrapped her arms around Heather and cooed in her ear, but Heather couldn't make out what she was saying.

It had been so long since she had kissed Naya with unrivaled vigor. She was always fighting her true feelings for the girl, and she had wanted to surrender for far too long.

Naya held Heather for another minute longer when Heather pulled back to look into brown orbs staring back at her.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"I need you."

"I need you more."

"Naya, I'm so sorry. I never should have left without talking to you."

"I never should have made you feel like I didn't love you. It's always been you, Heather."

"I broke up with Taylor."

"I broke up with Matt."

"Now what? I don't have a place to live. I don't have any clothes. I don't have any car. I don't have anything."

Heather continued to cry against Naya. Naya just hugged the girl in front of her, vowing silently to never to let her go again.

When Naya pulled back, Heather meekly lifted her head to look back into Naya's eyes, completely surrendering herself to the girl in front of her.

"Heather, you're wrong. Live with me. Wear my clothes. Take my car... You have me. And I have you. And that's all I know I need. You're home now, everything else is just a minor detail."

With that Heather pressed her lips up against Naya's. Softly, this time - with less energy, but just as much passion.

"I love you Naya. I never should have let you go."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for all of your feedback guys! Keep reviewing. I'm thinking this story only has one more chapter left... just because I am not sure if I want to take it too much further. I feel like it's in a good place to start wrapping up. It's got to end on a Naya P.O.V., so if I figure out what I want to do with it, there's a possibility it could have 3 more chapters left... we'll see. I 3 REVIEWS! :) :) **


	8. Epilogue

**A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I had thought about adding a couple more chapters to this story before I wrapped it up, but ultimately it seemed to forced. I think the journey was getting the girls together, and now that they are, I want to give it a justifiable ending. **

**So, this will be my last chapter. Reviews and comments are welcome and appreciated! Thanks for sharing this short journey with me. It was my first fic and it was so much fun to write. There might be more, just stay tuned! Thanks all! I heart each and every one of you.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ****_Glee. _****All rights to Ryan Murphy and Fox.**

* * *

Dear Heather,

What a journey it's been. The last fifty years have been the best of my life. With so many ups and downs, our lives have been interesting nonetheless.

I'll never forget the day I thought I had lost you forever. That was the day I knew I wanted to marry you. Unfortunately for me, that was also the day that you had agreed to marry someone else.

I wasn't aware of the hurt and the pain I had caused you. Just like you weren't aware of the hurt and pain you caused me. Our biggest issue had been communication. It always had been.

Receiving that letter changed my life. It made me realize how badly I needed you. And while I hated reading it, I believe it was the turning point for our relationship. It made me realize that I had to stop being so selfish. That I had to put everything into creating the life that I wanted.

I realized that day that it was you. It's always been you. And it will always be you.

Over the years we've shared so much. The best thing that I've ever heard come from your mouth were the words "I do." That was the day you agreed to love me forever. Our wedding was such a great moment to share with all of our friends and family. It was filled with laughter and joy. And as much as we loved celebrating with everyone, that day was all about you and me. No one else mattered.

You've never looked more beautiful than you did that day. You were glowing. I remember waiting for you to walk down the aisle, more nervous than I had ever been in my life up until that point. As soon as I saw you come down in your white satin wedding dress, all of my nervousness flew out the window. It was just you and me. No one else mattered.

We spent the night dancing and laughing with each other. My smile was plastered to my face all night long. I'll never forget every detail of that night for as long as I live. From every expression on your face to every detail about your dress. From every kiss and touch to every laugh and tear. Sometimes life's most precious moments are ingrained in our memories so vividly that it seems like just yesterday. It's hard to believe that we've been married for 47 years.

Up until the births of our three, beautiful children, that was the single greatest day of my life.

I never realized how much our lives would change with the birth of our children. We're so blessed to have 3 beautiful babies. Even though they're all grown up with babies of their own, they'll forever be our babies.

Matilda is so determined, strong and brave. I think she gets her bravery from you. I remember when she joined the Peace Corps. I was so scared for her. But you held my hand and told me that everything would be alright. And it was, but only because she was so strong and brave. We had always encouraged our children to be successful. Our daughter's greatest successes would come from her courage to stand up for what she believed in. It shows through in the way she raises her family. I'm so proud of her for everything she's accomplished in her short life.

Liam is just like you. He's so sweet and so selfless. All of his best qualities come from you. I remember his wedding day, how gorgeous he looked. It reminded me of our wedding day. I'm so proud of him and all of his accomplishments with his family. He makes sure his family is taken care of, whether its through indefinite support and love, or through the beautiful home over their heads, family is his first priority. And everytime I see him with his family, I beam with pride. He's an excellent father to Wyatt and Cameron, an excellent husband to Norah, and an excellent human being, just as you're an excellent wife, mother and human being. There's no question that he's your blood.

Finally there's Sophia - our baby. I decided to carry Sophia since you had carried Matilda and Liam. She has my feist, and she proved it with 27 hours of labor. While I love her for her feistiness, she's also extremely talented. She got that from you. The way she dances takes my breath away. It reminds me of watching you all those years we were on set with Glee. It didn't matter what song you were dancing to, you were so graceful and determined. I could never get sick of watching you dance. That's exactly how Soph is. I could watch her dance every single day of my life. I think between my feistiness and your dance talent, she's a hybrid of success. And she lives an extraordinary life as professional dancer. I couldn't be happier that she's living out her dream.

I never knew such love could exist until our children were born. I never thought I could love you more. But knowing your the mother of our three beautiful children took my love for you to a whole separate level. Raising our children with you was the best decision I ever made. While we made some mistakes and learned from each other along the way, it's a joy that I'd do a million times over again, the exact same way.

Sharing life's experiences with you, both the ups and the downs, has made me who I am. It's made our children who they are. It's made me happier than I could have ever imagined.

I think back to that day... the day I thought I lost you forever. I think about what would have happened if you had moved to Arizona. I think about what would have happened if you had married Taylor. I think about what would have happened if I stayed with Matt. If I had never received your letter, this perfect life we have created would never have existed. I can't thank you enough for that.

I can't thank you enough for loving me so much. I can't thank you enough for marrying me. I can't thank you enough for bearing our children. I can't thank you enough for raising our children to love with their whole hearts and entire beings. I can't thank you enough for helping me to create this perfect life. For being my wife and my life partner. Without you I am nothing.

It's always been you Heath. You've been mine since the beginning of time. Before I knew you, I dreamed about you. I dreamed about the perfect person that I'd spend my life with. I dreamed about the perfect person I could create a perfect life with. It's always been you.

As I write this letter to you from my hospital bed, I am not sad knowing that I'm leaving you and our children behind. I am not sad because I know that we've done everything right. And I am not sad because I know that I will see you and the kids again one day. I know that when we took those vows, we meant forever and always. And when I pass, I know that there is no end to forever and always.

Thank you for this life that you've given me. Thank you for our adventures and accomplishments. There's nothing I would change in our life together, Heather.

I can't wait to see you again some day, but until then, remember that I am yours and you are mine... Forever and always.

Yours: Then, Now and always,  
Naya


End file.
